Maintaining proper fitness is a growing concern for many Americans. The medical community has become increasingly aware in the value of exercise to the overall health of an individual. Furthermore, athletes need regular and stringent workouts to maintain their abilities. As a result, more and more individuals are committed to a routine of regular exercise. However, it is difficult for many to devote a great amount of time in their regular exercise routine. Also, many prefer to workout in the home instead of a gymnasium because this provides the flexibility of working out when a schedule allows the time. Simultaneously, there is a demand for exercise equipment that is capable of providing an effective stringent workout with the ability to duplicate athletic routines.
As is known by the practitioner in the art, a conventional running exercise machine uses rotary potentiometers installed on the consoles in front of the machines. These potentiometers will vary the speed of the machine allowing the user to run faster or slower. However, the only resistance provided by this kind of running machine is through the tilt of the running machine platform. If the user wants a harder workout then the user will raise the incline of the platform simulating the resistance of the incline of a hill. Also, if the user desires an easier workout they will lower the incline of the platform. The problem with this type of resistance in the running machine is that there is a limited range and direction of resistance for increasing the strength of a users' lower extremities or duplicating athletic procedures.
The running machine described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,812, entitled “Automatic Speed Servo-Control Apparatus For Electrically Powered Walking-Running Exercise Machine,” to Thibodeau, is confined to a speed servo-control for a user to walk/run on a moving belt with a direct current drive input that controls the speed of the moving belt. A cord assembly includes a belt that is tied around the users' waist and connected to a control unit that allows the user to increase or decrease the speed of the moving belt. The apparatus does not provide the user with multi-directional resistance and control to their legs providing for appropriate propriociptive neuromuscular facilitation within the specific musculature. The user is limited in their ability to strengthen their legs and stride and cannot duplicate athletic procedures.
In another exercise machine as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,520, entitled “Ice Skating Treadmill,” to Lepine et al., some of the protocols for the biomechanics of ice skating are duplicated in an ice skating treadmill. The ice skating treadmill relies on a lubricated rotatable surface providing a coefficient of friction close to that of natural ice. The ice skating treadmill allows natural ice skating behavior in a fixed position. However, this ice skating treadmill does not provide the capability to provide multi-directional resistance on the lower extremities in a correct biomechanical position. It does not provide for appropriate propriociptive neuromuscular facilitation within the specific musculature duplicating athletic procedures. The user is limited in their ability to strengthen their legs and stride.
What is needed is an exercise machine that will incorporate a multi-directional resistance means providing different levels of strengthening to the users' lower extremities and duplicating actual athletic procedures.